Apple faces new patent lawsuit concerning FaceTime

By Gene Ryan Briones on 10/31/2012

Apple’s video calling software application known as FaceTime is a strong selling point in today’s tough consumer electronics industry. But the tables could turn, now that the Cupertino-based tech behemoth is receiving a blow out of the water. A Texas-based firm called Intercarrier Communications (ICC) has just filed a patent complaint against Apple in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia for allegedly violating its 6,985,748 patent. The patent being questioned is called “Inter-carrier messaging service providing phone number only experience.”

The patent, as described, involves subscriber to subscriber messages that are routed between carrier’s networks using an inter-carrier messaging module with appropriate MIN/carrier/carrier routing look-up capabilities. In short, ICC is claiming that Apple’s FaceTime and Messages apps on iOS and OS X are infringing their own patent. Patently Apple reported that ICC has filed several lawsuits against other companies as well including MobiWeb, Inerop Technologies, BroadSoft, and Iris Wireless. Intercarrier Communications is seeking an award for the damages that Apple has allegedly caused. Apple declined to comment about the complaint.